The Best Plans
by mikey magee
Summary: Kanan found Ezra as a child on Lothal. He had simply planned to find a new home for the baby. But...the best plans often go astray. AU. Pure fluff (because with all of the death speculation going on for season 2 of Rebels, I think we could all use it.)
1. Chapter 1

"Run," she told him.

And he did. He never stopped. He ran to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, found a whole in the wall planet called Lothal…and now here he was, tending tables at some joint whose name he couldn't pronounce.

"Kanan, can I get a refill?"

Kanan sighed. It had been like this in the bar all damn day. Customers of every species, and creed had come through his bar doors, looking to get drunk and gamble. He didn't know if he was more pissed about the all the vices, or about the fact that he couldn't join 'em.

"Yeah," Kanan said, "Hold on." Kanan grabbed his rag, and flung it over his shoulder. Lothal was an interesting place…of course, that was a pretty big lie. Lothal was terrible, there tornadoes that wrecked everything in their path, decent food was difficult to come by, and the Empire was swarming over this planet like flies on rotting fruit. Every day it was the same thing. People came in to try their hand at winning some credits the Empire stole from them, or trying to drink to forget about it all.

Kanan grabbed a pitcher, filled his customer's glass and then sat it down next to him.

"Here, help yourself."

Kanan scratched his chin, and scrubbed his eyes, as if trying to wash away his disappointment. This wasn't supposed to be how things ended. He wasn't supposed to hide away in some armpit bar, hiding for his life on some planet. He needed to be somewhere…do something greater. Isn't that was his master had taught him?

And then he remembered…

"Shit."

She was gone.

He rubbed his eyes again, washing her memory from his eyelids. Not now. Not now.

"Hey," Kanan called to no one in particular, "I'm going on my break." He ripped his towel from his shoulder, and stormed out.

"I've gotta get some air."

He ran out into the dusty roads of Lothal, night had fallen over them, and the Empire's troops were walking around as if they owned the whole damn planet.

 _Damn the Empire_ , Kanan thought.

Lothal was in bad enough shape without those leeches sucking it dry even more. There were families who couldn't even get themselves something to eat because the Empire taxed the credits right out of their pockets.

And sometimes, when the parents couldn't afford to keep their children…they had to let them go. Sometimes, they were left abandoned out on the streets, other times…it was far far worse.

Kanan shook his head free of those thoughts. No, he couldn't think about that. He kicked the dirt into the air, and turned back to his bar. They were probably getting restless in there, and just as he heel-turned to make his way back…he halted.

The Force….pulling against his mind like a string tied to a balloon, keeping it from wandering too far.

"Shit, what now?" he asked.

Kanan could feel a presence, right next to his bar, tucked away behind the trash and half-eaten meals. He rolled his eyes. He didn't have time for this, and he certainly didn't want the constant reminders of The Force filling his head. No. He should just ignore it. Return to the bar and get on with his damn work.

But he didn't do that.

No, he followed his instincts and trusted in the force. Just as his master had instructed him to. There amongst the old garbage, wrapped in a ripped cloth, there was a child.

A baby. A baby with blue hair, and chubby arms that reached towards the sky, as if trying to grab something.

"Hello there youngling," Kanan whispered.

This was common. Sometimes on Lothal, parents would leave their newborns out in places like these, hoping someone would be able to take care of them. Sometimes, the kids hit it lucky and got taken in.

Most of the times…they never survived.

Kanan held the child closer. Is this what The Force wanted him to find? But why? Granted, Kanan wasn't averse to helping those in need, but that usually just meant giving a free drink to a guy who had lost his credits on a bad hand. Not…this. What the hell did The Force expect him to do? Babysit this kid?

He shook his head. Kanan wasn't mean to be a parent. No, he was the furthest thing from that. He was a beer drinking, bar fighting, deserter. He had left the Jedi order after the Empire's massacre. He didn't have a choice.

"No. No. No." He wrapped his hands around the baby's hair. It cooed and blinked as if Kanan was the first thing it laid eyes on. It smiled.

"Hey, don't get used to this mug kid," Kanan said, pointing a finger to his own face, "Because this is the last time you will see it."

He bundled the kid closer to keep it warm, and walked off. He couldn't very well go back into the bar, those noisy drunks would probably use this kid for their gambling. Besides, a bar was no place for a baby. A six-year-old, sure, but not a baby.

"Look," Kanan said to the kid, "I'll take ya' home, get ya' food, and see if I can find someone who can take care of you, alright?"

Kanan nodded his head. Yes, this was a good plan. Soon, this baby will be out of his hair, and out of his life, and no one would be able to say that he didn't do anything to help. The Force would get off of his back, and he could get on with life.

Yes…that's exactly what would happen.


	2. Chapter 2

The worst thing about having a kid in Kanan's place…was the fact that it was so small, and Ezra (that named seem to fit, Kanan thought) was so damn curious about everything. One moment, Kanan was working on getting his little guest a meal, and the next he was hunting around his own home trying to locate the kid.

Ezra put everything in his mouth. Everything. Kanan once caught him gnawing on one of his bar rags. This time, however, Ezra had found Kanan's old bar boots.

"Kid…No." Kanan said as he gently pulled the old shoe out of Ezra's mouth. "You don't want to eat that."

Though, it could have been worse. Before Ezra, Kanan's place was filled with…less than stellar equipment. Guns from his old shipping raids. Knifes he had won in card games, and blasters he had confiscated and never got around to returning. All thrown across the floor like so much unwanted crap.

As soon as Kanan got Ezra home, the first thing he did was take everything, the knives, blasters, the weapons, and hide them away in one of his underground storage unites. He locked it and breathed a little easier. The last thing he wanted was for Ezra to gnaw on a blaster.

"Okay little guy," Kanan scooped the kid up and gently placed him on the couch. "Stay here," Kanan said. He wagged his finger and repeated his words once more. "Stay. Here."

Ezra only babbled happily at the sight of Kanan's chin. Sometimes, when Kanan leaned too far in, Ezra would grab at his goatee and smile.

Kanan turned to the kitchen, grabbed the bowl of crushed May Fruit, and returned to the couch. He sat the bowl down, and placed little Ezra on his knee.

"Okay," Kanan said as he grabbed the spoon, "Open up for the space ship."

Ezra only moved away, and reached back to the old boot that Kanan had taken from him earlier.

"No," Kanan said. "You don't want that. It smells like feet, and Force knows what's still under it."

But Ezra reached again, and his face began to puff.

"No." Kanan inched the spoon to Ezra's face, "Come on, this is nice and healthy, come on, give it a try."

But Ezra was having none of it. He pushed the spoon away, and reached for the old boot. Even though it was two feet from him, far out of his tiny reach, he still wanted it.

Kanan rolled his eyes (and his entire head with it), "Come on kid! Must you make my life harder?" He moved the bowl aside, stood, and grabbed the shoelaces of his old boot. He raised them to eye level, they smelled of old Lothan liquor.

He opened his back door, and threw the old boot outside. He turned back to Ezra and smiled, "There, no more smelly, old boots."

Kanan sat back down, picked up the spoon again, and inched towards Ezra's mouth. "Now, be a good boy and let the space ship dock."

But Ezra never opened his mouth.

Perhaps he needed a demonstration on how good the food was? Hell, Kanan couldn't really blame him. When it came to cooking, Kanan wasn't exactly renowned. Even at the bar, most customers would pay him not to cook. But it was just smashed May Fruit. It couldn't be that bad.

"Alright, watch." Kanan opened his mouth, nice and wide, and gently placed the spoon inside. He closed, sloshed the fruit against his teeth, and swallowed. "See?"

He dipped the spoon in his bowl again, and raised it to Ezra's mouth. "Now you try."

Ezra looked to the outside, his eyes fixated on the door Kanan had just banished his old boot through.

"No, no, no. Don't even think about it." Kanan gently pressed the spoon against Ezra's lips. "Come on. Just one little bit. One teensy, weensy, little bite for Kanan?"

Kanan was practically begging. Kanan. A (semi) trained Jedi was groveling to this kid as if it were his master. "Pleeeeaaaase?" The spoon was shaking in Kanan's hands, the crushed May Fruit jiggled like Jabba the Hut's belly. _Just one bite_ , Kanan thought _. Just one bite and we can move on._

And Ezra…opened his mouth.

Kanan tried to fight back the smile that was growing on his face. "That's my boy. Open wide." Kanan nearly dumped the crushed fruit in the kid's mouth. But it was in.

"Now chew."

Ezra's little mouth moved around in circles, some of his lunch even spilled to his chin, and onto the couch. But that didn't matter, he was eating. Kanan dipped the spoon into the May Fruit once again.

"Alright, just like last time. Open up." Kanan went for Ezra's mouth again, but the child placed his hands up, and turned his head.

Not again.

"What now? I'm not gonna let you eat my boot," Kanan said as he placed the spoon down.

Ezra reached out his hands, and tried to grab the bowl of mashed fruit that Kanan held.

"What?" Kanan asked.

But Ezra reached for the bowl, he nearly fell off the couch trying to grab it. Kanan flinched, set Ezra back to the center cushion, and gently placed the bowl in front of Ezra.

"Is this what you wanted?"

Ezra took his tiny hands, and grabbed a handful of his own lunch. It dripped from his fingers, and settled in his palm. With one swift motion, Ezra smashed his tiny and into Kanan's closed mouth, and the fruit he was holding splattered everywhere.

Kanan flinched, dropped the spoon, and wiped the fruit from his lips. "Ezra," he said, "I'm supposed to feed you, not the other way around."

But Ezra only smiled as Kanan stood before him. Kanan wiped his lips with his dirty shirt and sighed.

"I'll be back. I need to get another spoon."

Kanan searched his cupboards, and drawers, trying to find a suitable replacement.

And then his stomach growled. He had been so busy getting lunch for Ezra that he had forgotten about what he would have for a meal.

Had Ezra…known? Well…that was impossible. Ezra wasn't even old enough to talk yet, let alone…

Kanan shook his head, and found another spoon. "This should do nicely."

He turned back to Ezra who was sitting happily on the couch, as if nothing had happened at all.

"Alright, let's try this again."

.


	3. Chapter 3

It was becoming clearer and clearer to Kanan, Ezra needed clothes. Before, Kanan was perfectly content to let the little rugrat runaround in his holey shirts. But now, as the Lothal winters were coming closer, Kanan couldn't put it off any longer.

On most planets, getting kids clothes wasn't a problem. You just go to a store, get something that fits, and be done with the whole thing.

But not on Lothal. See, kids weren't really expected to live that long, so there weren't a lot of shops, or services tailored to them. Even schools were in short supply, and most parents had to school their children themselves, along with make their own clothing.

Kanan sighed as he glanced at Ezra, sleeping peacefully on the couch. He couldn't let the kid crawl around in loose shirts; that was a perfect way to get sick. And the last thing Kanan needed was a sick baby. Kanan wiped his hands on his pants, and searched for something that could help him. A rag to make a pair of pants out of, a torn towel that would work for pants. There had to be something he could use.

"They never taught me this in Jedi School."

Out of the corner of his eye, Kanan saw an old shirt he used to clean space cruisers with. It was easily one of the cleanest things in his house (aside from Ezra, he wouldn't let that kid go near dirt), and it was already in the shape of clothing, so mending it and getting it to Ezra's size should be a piece of pie.

"Right?"

He grabbed the shirt, along with the needle and thread he had picked up the day before and sat down next to Ezra.

"Okay, let's see if we can do this."

He poked the needled through the shirt's collar, and then pulled it through to the other side. Nice and easy. The thread snaked through the hole and lined up perfectly with Kanan's arm.

"Nice," Kanan said as he continued to pull.

And then, the thread snaked right through the shirt, and out into the air. The thread that had so easily gone through the shirt was now dangling in the air.

"W-wait, what just happened?"

Kanan had seen knitting and sewing all his life, and he knew that when you threaded…well, thread…it was supposed to stay in the shirt. But his hadn't.

He tried again.

He poked the needle into the shirt, pulled all the way out…and the thread came out from the shirt, and dangled in the air.

"Seriously?"

Others made this look so easy. How did they get the thread to stay put? He closed his eyes, and thought. Perhaps The Force would provide an answer? He tapped against the needle, and listened to Ezra's soft breath. In and out. Rasp and soft.

"Wait a sec," Kanan said.

He grabbed the thread, and tied a knot in the end. He pulled the needle through the shirt, and it stopped just short of the end. The thread stayed put.

"Yes," Kanan whispered, softly as not to awaken Ezra. "Knot the thread at the end. Why hadn't I thought of that before?"

Kanan pulled the thread up again, and poked the needled through his shirt.

"Okay…I think I've got-"

And he stabbed his finger with the needle.

"Dam…" he clenched his mouth with his other hand, and glanced down to Ezra. The kid was still sleeping peacefully. Kanan couldn't risk waking Ezra up, especially with a curse word. Funny, he hadn't cared much about his language before, but now, it was one of his main concerns.

He looked down at his finger, crying blood onto the floor. Kanan opened his mouth and popped his finger inside.

 _Hopefully, the bleeding will stop_ , Kanan thought.

He shook his head, and went back to his shirt. Perhaps he could focus on the holes in the middle? Surely, mending them would make the shirt smaller, after all, the excess cloth wouldn't be hanging every which way.

It was worth a shot.

After touring the galaxy, fighting for his life, and stealing for food, the last thing Kanan thought he would be doing was making clothes for a baby. A sleeping, sweet, baby that Kanan couldn't imagine being without.

Ezra had been with him for months now, and sometimes, when he needed to work late at the bar, he took Ezra with him. Strapped on his back like a sack.

Some of the guys had even started calling him Daddy, and Ezra was always the topic of conversation.

"Hey Dad, how's the kid doin'?"

"Hey, how's your son? Is he stealin' cargo crates yet?"

"You teachin' him how to gamble? I wanna see how good he is."

Sometimes Kanan would chuckle at that thought.

The shirt was nearly mended, and it was getting smaller, but it was still too big for Ezra, even now Kanan could drape it over the small child's frame, and it would engulf him.

"Maybe I could cut some of this off?" Kanan said as he examined the low ends of the shirt.

He looked around…but he didn't have a knife anywhere near him (he must have hidden them all in his mad dash to baby proof his apartment.)

He glanced to his left and his right…nothing. Well…nothing except.

"No," he told himself.

There leaning against the wall his light saber, untouched and undusted. He had planned on locking it away with the rest of his weapons, but he was too afraid to touch it, less it bring back unwanted memories.

He looked down at Ezra, still sleeping, and sighed. "The things I do for you kid."

He got up, grabbed his light saber, and turned it on. A triumphant glow filled the apartment, almost as if the sword was stretching itself awake.

"Okay, real quick, and then it's back to sleep," he told it. Kanan held the shirt high, and with one quick motion, he chopped off the end of the shirt, cutting it in half. The end trails floated to the ground.

"Ehhhh…"

Kanan turned back to the couch to see that Ezra had awakened.

"Ohhh," Kanan said, "Did I wake you up little guy?"

But Ezra paid no mind to that, he reached out towards the light saber. His little arms flailing, and his little mouth cracking into a smile.

"Ehh. Ahhh." Ezra said.

Kanan tilted his head. "No." Kanan said, pointing to the light saber. "This is bad, alright? You might get hurt and-"

And then Ezra began to moan…a sure sign that he was going to cry.

"No. No. No." Kanan said.

Ezra opened his mouth, and-

"Alright. Alright." Kanan turned the light saber off, rushed over to the couch and placed Ezra on his knee. He wrapped Ezra's little hands around the hilt, and took a deep breath. "This needs to stay our little secret, alright?"

With one quick flick, the light saber sprung to life, filling the room with its own glow. Ezra smiled, and stared all the way to the very tip of the saber, and Ezra's eyes were as blue as the sword.

Kanan just sighed as Ezra sat upon his lap, enchanted by what he saw.

"The things I do for ya', kid."


	4. Chapter 4

"Come on Ezra…you can do it."

Kanan had never really thought much about what Ezra's age was. To him, he was as young, or as old as Kanan felt. When the kid kept calm, even through the worst of Lothan tornadoes, Kanan felt he was mature enough to be called a toddler. But when Ezra awoke in the middle of the night, crying to be held, Kanan remembered that he was still very young.

And then…last week, Ezra began to stand up. It went unnoticed at first, Kanan was often too busy preparing meals, or making new clothes for Ezra (who was growing like a beansprout). Other times, Kanan would have to bring Ezra along to the bar, set him up in a makeshift high chair and keep an eye on both him and the customers. All of this juggling left Kanan…exhausted. Far too exhausted to even make it to the couch to collapse onto.

But one evening, as Kanan laid on the ground, breathing in the dirt of his old carpet, he saw, out of the corner of his eye, small baby toes touching the carpet.

"Ezra?" he asked, as he propped himself onto his elbow.

Ezra was…standing? Granted, his little hands were holding onto the couch, and more often than not, the little guy fell onto his bottom. But he was standing.

He had learned to stand!

Kanan crossed his legs and leaned against his elbow.

"Come on Ezra," he whispered. "Come on buddy."

Kanan wanted nothing more than to hold Ezra's hand, help him up, and reach his goal of standing. But something stopped him. Perhaps it was his own instinct. Kanan knew better than anyone how important independence was. If Kanan hadn't learned to be self-sufficient, he might not have been able to survive the fall of the Jedi. If he helped Ezra now…he may be helping him all his life. He may even be a detriment to Ezra's growth. Many Stormtroopers were still hunting renegade Jedi, suppose Kanan was caught, then Ezra would have to look after himself. He would have to mend his own shirts, and stand all on his own.

Kanan couldn't interfere…not now, not when there was still so much Ezra needed to learn how to do on his own. Learning to stand on his own would be the best thing for him. Independence at an early age.

Ezra grabbed hold of the couch's leg, and slowly stood to his tiny toes.

"Yes," Kanan whispered, "You got it."

And then he fell down with a soft _thud_.

And Ezra began to moan…

"Oh no."

And Ezra's mouth began to open wide…but before a single tear could grace the little child's cheek, Kanan had scooped him up in his arms, and held him close to his chest.

"You did great little guy," Kanan said. He raised Ezra up to the sky and smiled. "That was absolutely amazing! Pretty soon you'll be able to walk, and run and play and kick so much butt. It'll be a sight to see."

He tucked Ezra under his arm and the child smiled, and squirmed and babbled, as happy as if he were gnawing on an old boot.

"I can't wait to tell the guys at the bar." Kanan raised Ezra up to the ceiling, threw him in the air, and gently caught him. "They are gonna be so impressed."

Independence could wait a little while longer.

"You wanna try again?"

Kanan sat Ezra down on the floor, and held his tiny hands. "Come on, I'll even help you this time."

Kanan knelt down, and grabbed onto the little arms, and slowly, slowly, stood Ezra onto his feet. Nice and easy.

"See? You're doing it."

Independence was a difficult burden to bear. Kanan knew that more than anyone. There was nothing wrong with relying on someone else…at least, not at this age. There would be time for Ezra to learn about hardship and sacrifice. But now was not that time. Now…all he needed to know, was that Kanan was here for him, and that's all that mattered.


	5. Chapter 5

It didn't take long for Ezra to learn how to walk, (Kanan was amazed at how quickly Ezra was able to pick up so many different things). Ezra pretty much walked everywhere Kanan went, following him around like a baby Loth-cat. When Kanan went into the kitchen, Ezra was right behind him. When Kanan went out to gaze at the Lothan skyline, Ezra was right on his heels.

"Curious little fella, aren't you?" Ezra asked as he picked Ezra up. Now, Kanan had to be more and more careful about where he went in his apartment. Before, Kanan would travel down to his basement, where he kept his old weapons. His blaster from his shipping days, his ray knife from his first bar fight, and his lightsaber from that time so long ago.

But now, with Ezra following him everywhere, he didn't dare go anywhere near that cellar. Too much could happen. Kanan even thought of springing for a new padlock…just in case Ezra was as good at picking locks as he was at finding all of Kanan's hiding spots.

Kanan lifted Ezra onto his shoulders, and Ezra giggled and kicked against Kanan's chest.

"Hey, that hurts Ezra."

While it was still winter here on Lothal, it was certainly nicer than it had been all week. Instead of harsh sandstorms, and cold winds, today was rather mild. True, the air was still pregnant with the threat of sand, and the cold winds had dried the ground…but it was a great time for some fresh air.

Kanan grabbed the small jacket he had knitted from one of his old Jedi Robes (it had taken him a whole month just to keep it from slipping off of Ezra's little shoulders). It looked nice on the kid. Ezra wrapped his little hands around the jacket's sides and smiled.

Kanan opened the door to his apartment and walked out into the brisk day.

"Feel that kid?" Kanan asked, "That's fresh air. Something you and I could use a big breath of."

How old was Ezra now? He had once learned that babies learned to stand at ten months…or was that eleven? He never did pay that much attention during his studies at the temple. If it wasn't training with a light saber, he just kind of tuned it out.

Well, at any rate, Ezra had to be at least one, right? Maybe a little older? Didn't one-year-olds start to talk around now?

Kanan shuddered at the thought of Ezra beginning talk…with his constant energy, and curiosity, it wasn't too hard to believe that Ezra would have a million questions about a million things. The first of which being, why he wasn't allowed to chew on boots.

Kanan felt Ezra's little shoes kick against his chest again. Kanan smiled.

"All of that can wait until later…right now, let's just enjoy the day."

It had been so long since Kanan and Ezra spent the day together (or, perhaps, they never had). With the bar's business picking up, and Kanan trying to keep the house as baby-proof as possible, he kind of lost track of spending time with his kid.

Ezra grabbed onto Kanan's hair, and pulled.

Kanan stopped as his head jerked back. "W-what is it?"

Ezra began to moan and pull against Kanan's ponytail harder.

"P-please, what is it? Don't cry alright?" The last thing Kanan needed was a crying kid. While kids on Lothal were rarities, that didn't meant people liked to see one making a ruckus in public. In some places, they'd even tax you if you couldn't keep your kid quiet.

Kanan didn't really have that kind of cash.

"Wait…"

Kanan looked up, and saw Ezra reaching for the ground.

"You want to get down?"

Ezra responded by lurching forward, almost toppling off of Kanan's shoulders.

"Alright. Alright."

Kanan grabbed onto Ezra's shoulders and placed him on the ground.

"There you go Mr. Independent."

Ezra wobbled onto the dusty sands, and began to walk out into the brisk void that was Lothal. He giggled, reached down into the dirt, and looked around with that same look that said "I'm going to get into trouble."

No, Kanan couldn't have that. Not one bit.

"H-hey, wait a second." Kanan jogged up to his little charge, "And where do you think you're going?" He grabbed Ezra's hand, and gently pulled him back to his side. "Look, if you want to walk, go ahead, but you need to stay with me, okay?"

It was one thing for Ezra to wander around the apartment, it was a completely different thing from his to wander around Lothal. Too many things could happen to a youngling like him.

"Maybe I should spring for a leash next time?"

It didn't take long for them to reach the market place. The two were running low on supplies, and Kanan had been meaning to get some more cloth for Ezra's clothing.

There were plenty of merchants lined up in the Lothan sun trying to sell goods, food, and (to Kanan's annoyance) weapons.

"Hey," one of them said as Kanan passed by. The merchant slouched over against his booth, a small scar gracing his cheek like a birthmark. He eyed Ezra with a deep gleam and grinned. Kanan already knew he hated this guy.

"How about you and your boy-"

"Not interested," Kanan said as he tucked Ezra behind him.

"Come on…I might even have a toy for-"

"Not. Interested." Kanan ran his fingers across his blaster holster, forgetting that he did not bring any weapons with him. Not that he needed any, but being armed kept people away, both from him and Ezra.

Kanan grabbed Ezra's arm and the two quickly moved on, without ever looking back. Kanan scooped Ezra up, and placed him atop his shoulders…and Ezra began to kick again.

"Look kid, I'm not taking any chances here."

Ezra whined, but Kanan didn't budge, as long as they were here, Ezra would be on his shoulders.

And that was final.


	6. Chapter 6

Kanan awoke in the late afternoon, his eyes still filled with sleep. He and Ezra had returned from the market, and Ezra was so tuckered out that he had fallen asleep on Kanan's head. Not that Kanan could blame him. The day was long, haggling with merchants for the best price. Looking for merchandise that wasn't filled with bugs, and just the simple act of not punching slimeballs in the face could make anyone tired. Even Kanan. So, the first thing Kanan did was place Ezra down for a nap…and then place himself down for one as well. Heck, if the kid needed some sleep, then Force knows Kanan needed some too.

But when Kanan awoke, expecting to see Ezra next to him, he found nothing but an empty space.

"Oh no."

He leapt to his feet, and glanced around apartment. He checked the door to make sure it was still locked. He ran to his basement cellar to make sure the doors were still closed.

"Okay…he's not outside, and he's not in the basement." Kanan allowed himself to breathe. Ezra was missing, but at least he was in the house, and away from the basement.

So, he was safe.

Kanan closed his eyes. _Remember your training_.

Back at the temple, his master told him that the Force was what bound everything together. Planets to stars. Stars to suns. Lifeforms to life. If you concentrate, you could even find those connections.

 _Find Ezra._

He wasn't necessarily worried…Mr. Independent was fine. He just wanted to make sure he could still tap into his Jedi training. And what better way than to practice finding his little roommate?

Kanan sighed…he almost believed that. Almost.

"Okay little guy…where are ya'?"

He allowed his senses to fill the room, feeling the forces that connected everything to everything else. Slowly. Slowly. Creeping through his floors, and his furniture. His corners and his kitchen-

"The kitchen!"

Ezra was there…in the kitchen. He could feel the little boy, and it felt like he…was playing. Waving a wooden utensil in the air like a sword. Rolling on the ground as if he were in a fight.

"It seems that nap worked wonders for him." Kanan smiled and walked over to the kitchen, his socked feet scraping against the carpeting. He peeked inside, as not to disturb his little rebel.

Ezra jumped onto the floor, rolled around, and waved his sword (a little wooden spoon that Kanan had gotten from the market) like a true pro.

"That's actually a pretty good form," Kanan whispered. Ezra was such an amazing kid. Kanan might not know much about children, but he did know a thing or two about motor skills, and Ezra's were easily top notch. Most kids his age were still mastering walking, but he could already jump and run with pretty impressive agility.

Kanan leaned against the kitchen's entryway.

"Go get him kid."

And Ezra turned, his spoon raised high, and pointed straight towards Kanan.

"Woah woah," Kanan said, holding his hands high in surrender. "You win kid, you win. Just don't hurt me."

Ezra smiled, and sheathed his sword in his pants.

Kanan scooped Ezra up and smiled. "Good job. Not a single stormtrooper is left standing."

Ezra giggled and waved his arms.

"How about I get lunch started? Strong rebels like you need to keep your strength up."


	7. Chapter 7

It was Ezra's bedtime. One of the things Kanan dreaded the most. It was almost uncanny, every night, before Kanan even said anything or made a gesture, Ezra had already gained wind of his plan to put the little Rebel soldier to sleep.

"Come on Ezra," Kanan said. "You know what time it is."

Before, Ezra would simply crawl away, but now he'd taken up walking away as quickly as he could. But that never stopped Kanan. Before this rebellion could even bloom, Kanan had caught Ezra and tucked him under his arm.

"Come on kid, it's time for bed."

The first thing they did, was wash up. Kanan's place wasn't one for luxury, but it did have a tub (if you could call it that). But the thing was so small Kanan's knees jammed up into his chin every time he tried to use it. It might not be great for him, but it was perfect for Ezra.

Kanan filled the tub, and ran his hand through the water. Just warm enough to be comfortable. Perfect. Sometimes, if Kanan felt he was up to it, he would fill the bath with bubbles and let Ezra enjoy himself for a little while. But tonight was not one of those nights. His back was killing him, and his fingers were burned from cooking the night's dinner, and his ears were ringing from dealing with angry customers at the bar all shift.

There wouldn't be any bubbles tonight, not that Ezra seemed to mind. He was too busy splashing, and make a huge mess on the bathroom floor.

"Come on kid," Kanan said as he shielded himself from the onslaught, "You gotta take it easy."

Kanan took a bottle of Slug conditioner (something the merchant at the market swore would be great for Ezra's skin) and gingerly poured some into his hand. He sniffed it, and then briskly shook his head. No, he didn't want to risk it.

Kanan had his own soaps and shampoos that he had used to great effect, and it was far less risky than using something bought from someone else.

"Okay kid, close your eyes." Kanan grabbed his own shampoo and poured it over Ezra's head. The kid moaned and squirmed as Kanan softly scratched the surface of Ezra's head. "I know, I know. You hate this part. But I have to do it."

Kanan washed Ezra's back, Ezra's little arms, and his legs. All the while, Ezra squirmed with each grab, and turned with each rinse. More and more water sloshed onto the floor. Kanan just shook his head. He would have to clean all of that up…tomorrow. Maybe.

The cleaning was done, and the PJ's were on, and now it was time for bed. Ever since Ezra, Kanan had done his best to make his one bed room apartment seem more…homey. He didn't really have a spare room, so he had to build a crib for the kid to sleep in, and place it next to his own bed. At least with this, Kanan could constantly keep an eye on him.

"Alright, time for bed," Kanan said as he placed Ezra in his crib. It was time for both of them to get some sleep. Kanan knew he needed it.

"Uh. Ah. Ag." Ezra said as Kanan walked away.

"Oh, right." Kanan slapped himself with his palm. "I almost forgot." He jogged to the kitchen, and returned with a small wooden spoon. "No rebel can sleep soundly without his weapon, can he?"

Kanan handed Ezra the spoon, and the little tyke settled into an easy peace.

Kanan rubbed his chin and sat down on his bed. "I guess you want a story, huh?"

Kids can't go to sleep if they don't have a story to listen to.

Kanan scratched his head, trying to remember a good one, but all of his best stories weren't exactly child friendly.

"Wait, how about this one?" Kanan scooted closer to the crib. "This is the story about a Padawan named Caleb Dume."

Kanan stood up straight and tall, and began his story. "Now, Caleb lived at the Jedi Temple and was training to be a Jedi. He had a wonder master named Bilbao who taught him well…and put up with a lot of his foolishness." Kanan closed his eyes at the thought of his master giving him one of her lectures. "One day, Caleb went to the market place to pick up some supplies for a meal he wanted to cook for his master. T-to thank her for all she had taught him. He bought carrots, and meats, and all kinds of things. He felt so happy when he returned to the temple. He could finally give his master something she would love."

Kanan smiled at the thought of that old memory. He had been planning that meal for weeks. He would cook everything she liked, and there wouldn't be a problem.

"Accept, there was one small problem. Caleb had no idea how to cook. At all."

It was true. At that age Kanan kind of thought you just put things in a boiling pot and out came edible food. Well, he soon found out that wasn't the case.

"So…Caleb found one of the empty kitchens, and placed all of his ingredients in a boiling pot. And then he waited, hoping everything would turn out as perfectly as he imagined."

And that didn't happen. No, Caleb didn't make an amazing meal for his master. He made a huge mess that nearly burned down half the temple. And when Master Bilbao found out…she was less than enthused. He ended up cleaning the Jedi Kitchens for a year.

But Ezra didn't need to know that part.

"And when Caleb opened up the pot, it was an amazing meal, and when his master saw it, she was so happy and they had a nice dinner. The end."

Ezra yawned at the end of the tale, and held his spoon close to him.

Kanan smiled, kissed Ezra's little forehead, and pulled the covers up to his little shoulders.

"G'nite kid. If you see any Stormtroopers, be sure to save a couple for me, alright?"


	8. Chapter 8

Kanan awoke in the middle of the night, his sheets soaked in his own sweat. His breath coarse and uneven, as if the air he sucked couldn't fill his lungs.

It was that same dream again. He had thought…hoped that it would subside by now. But no…he still saw his master's face in his dreams. Hear her voice against the backdrop of a hopeless battle.

Run.

He could never stop running. Not even when he closed his eyes.

He rubbed his palms against his bare chest, as if trying to soothe his own heartbeat.

"Just relax," he told himself, "Nothing's gonna happen. It's over. It's over."

It's over.

But his voice was too hollow to carry any truth to it. How was he meant to return to sleep? He stole a glance towards Ezra's crib, the kid slept so soundly. He could probably sleep through an entire incursion if he wanted to. Kanan smiled, at least one of them would get a good night's sleep.

He rose from his bed, and walked down his hallway. Master Bilbao told him that change was necessary. The universe is never static and as it changes, so must a Jedi's role. But how could he possibly have changed so much? And so young? And in such a short amount of time? He wore a stern look like a mask but inside, deep inside, he was still the young Padawan who roamed the streets in filthy robes. Too afraid to poke his head from beyond the alleyways.

"Get it together," he told himself. If he couldn't be strong for himself, or the memory of his master, then he needed to be for Ezra.

But could that really be? It seemed like every day there were more and more stormtroopers patrolling the lines. Almost as if the Empire was planning something big. Pretty soon, this place wouldn't be safe enough for Ezra to grow up in. And Kanan would die before he allowed anyone to harm Ezra.

He felt his heartbeat faster at that thought. Ezra, taken from him. Ezra left to die on the streets like some dog. Ezra hunted down by soldiers, using him for target practice, grabbing him by his collar and daring him to fight back.

And Kanan…unable to do anything. Just like when he couldn't help his master. Just like when his friends from the temple were all slaughtered. Just like when his dreams flooded their faces in blood. He couldn't save any of them.

"Ahh…"

Kanan turned to see…Ezra?

"Kid?"

Standing in the hallway with his wooden spoon clutched in his hand, his eyes droopy and ready to close.

"What are you doin' up?"

And how did he even get out of his crib?

Ezra stepped…or rather, wobbled…closer. The little boy yawned, and wrapped his arms around Kanan's calf. Kanan rolled his eyes, and lifted the little boy into the air.

"Let's get you back to bed."

Kanan tried to shave his head free of those other thoughts. Clearly Kanan's late night awakening had disturbed his little ward. He couldn't have that. He returned to his room, and placed Ezra back in his crib.

And Ezra moaned.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry I woke you up but-"

Ezra lifted his hands, a clear sign that he wanted Kanan to pick him up again.

Kanan did so, and instantly Ezra wrapped his arms around Kanan's neck. An impromptu hug that caught Kanan by surprise.

"Woah."

Kanan tried to gently place Ezra back into his crib, but the kid just would let go.

"Come on, aren't you tired?" Kanan asked.

But Ezra did not budge. He seemed intent on keeping his arms right where they were. Kanan shrugged and gave up.

"Alright, I guess you can bunk with me tonight. But just this once."

Kanan held tight to Ezra's back and climbed into his bed. He pulled the covers up close to his chin, and Ezra snuggled close.

"Comfortable?"

But Ezra did not reply, he was fast asleep, and Kanan slowly closed his eyes as well.

And not a single nightmare graced Kanan's dreams.


	9. Chapter 9

It was a holiday on Lothal, something about remembering old ancestors, Kanan never really paid much attention to it. To him, it was just another excuse for people to get drunk and order him around. Still, Kanan was fortunate enough to get the day off…so that meant a little more time with Ezra.

All around the city, people were putting up decorations. Old shrubs were ornamented with the names of dead fathers and uncles. Mothers walked their children down to the festival which that was already beginning. They say that if you listen closely, you can hear the voice of your lost loved one.

But that's just a drunken rumor.

"Hey, Ezra?" Kanan whispered as the little boy dug into his breakfast. Ezra certainly was getting big. Kanan had almost forgotten that he used to fit in the crook of his arm. And recently, he had begun…well, speaking wasn't really the right word. He was using his mouth, forming sounds to communicate. It wouldn't be long now until that kid started jabbering Kanan's ear off.

Ezra looked up at the sound of his name, and cocked his head, as if to say "Yes?"

"You wanna go down to the festival tonight? It might be fun. There'll be games, and food, and I might even be able to get you a real toy."

Kanan glanced down at Ezra's spoon, that thing was almost a part of the kid's body. Kanan felt a little guilty that he wasn't able to get Ezra anything suitable to play with. Most parents made their kids' toys themselves, but Kanan didn't have the expertise to do that. But during festivals, toys for kids (or even for adults who wished to return to childhood) were a little easier to come by. At least, that's what the word was at the bar.

Ezra looked up and smiled.

Kanan cocked his eyebrow, "I'll take that as a yes."

* * *

Every year the festival was the same. Big lights, festivals, games, drunks walking through the streets. Not something Kanan would call a good time…but this festival was different. Even with Ezra on top of his shoulders (with a crowd like this, Kanan didn't want to take any chances), he could tell Ezra was excited. His little feet pecked against Kanan's chest, and his arms reached out towards every shiny booth they passed.

"What would you like to try first?" Kanan asked.

There were booths with games, booths with fried food, and booths with beer (something they both were to steer clear of).

"Ah…Ack…" Ezra reached over to the far side of the festival.

"What?" Kanan asked. He looked over to where Ezra reached out, and his lungs froze. There, made of old wood, sat the Ancestor's Home. On Lothal, family members would light a candle and say a few words, speak a prayer, or share a memory. But now, with the rise of the Empire, that tradition was slowly dying away. Most people didn't even remember its purpose.

"You wanna go there kid?"

Ezra nodded his little head, and Kanan lifted him off his shoulders, and led him to that small booth.

Why would he want to go here?"

There were unlit candles already lined up. Candles of different sizes, colors, pinks and greens. Reds and blues. It liked like a fireworks display in wax.

"Which one would you like?"

Ezra reached up, and wrapped both his hands around the blue candle (blue like his eyes and hair). Kanan was beginning to suspect blue was his favorite color.

"Alright. Blue it is." Kanan picked the candle up, pulled out a match, and lit a small flame on top of the wick. The small booth lit up. "Pretty cool, right kid?"

Family means a lot of things. Friends who have your back against an invading armada. Fellow students who are just as nervous as you are about an upcoming test. A master who taught you how to wield a weapon properly.

Master Yoda always said that when someone passes, they become a part of the Force. A small reminder of what binds everything together. His master was gone. His home was gone. His way of life, vanquished in a cold flame.

 _Death is a natural part of life,_ Master Yoda told him, _Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them do not. Miss them do not._

The candle danced in the breeze of festival goers. The celebration was in full swing. You couldn't move a step without passing a drunk…but here, all was still.

Kanan held onto Ezra's little hand, and looked up into the deep Lothal sky. "Master," Kanan whispered, "Can you see me?"

The Force surrounds us…finding its way into the parts of ourselves we wish to escape from.

"I-I'm sorry for what I did. For running. For forgetting the way of the Jedi. For," he paused, "For being a coward."

He felt Ezra wrap his arms around Kanan's leg, and bury his little face in Kanan's jeans.

"But," Kanan bent down and rubbed Ezra's back, something to soothe them both, lull the discomfort away. "But I'm trying to be better."

Not just for Ezra's sake, but for his, and his Masters. Holding onto the past, means letting go of what could be. Kanan looked down to Ezra, the boys eyes sparkled like the glow of a light saber. The future must never be sacrificed for old memories.

And memories, and be passed on.

"Hey Ezra?" Kanan leaned in close and smiled, "How would you like to learn an old Jedi saying?"


	10. Chapter 10

Ezra had been making even more of his own sounds. Every morning the place was filled with Ezra' babble.

"Ack. Ga. Ba. Fo. Pa."

Kanan would only smile at his Ezra, place a plate of crushed May Fruit in front of him, and then go back to the stove.

"Pa…pa."

And then Kanan froze.

"W-what was that?" He turned back to Ezra, the little boy smiling and kicking as if he had just played the best trick on Kanan.

"Pa…" Ezra shoved a handful of May Fruit in his face, "…pa." Ezra smiled again.

Kanan felt his face change a red as full as the Lothan sky. Papa? Had Ezra just spoken?

"Pa…pa." Ezra said again, reaching out to Kanan. "Pa…pa."

But maybe he hadn't heard correctly. H-how could Ezra even know that word, let alone associate it with Kanan? Kanan wasn't…he wasn't-

But Ezra only squirmed more, reaching out for Kanan with his little hands. "Pa…pa."

Kanan walked over to Ezra, and scooped the little boy up. Ezra smiled, and kicked and giggled, and spoke. "Pa…pa."

And Kanan's face turned even redder. Kanan never really thought of himself as…a father. Not him. Not the beer drinking, gun firing, bartender like him. Men like him weren't fathers and yet…

"Pa…pa," Ezra said again.

To be honest, Kanan had believed Ezra's first word would be "Boot", the kid certainly liked to chew on them a lot. Or "Spoon", that old wood weapon he carried around with him everywhere. Or "Blue", Force knows Ezra loved that color more than anything else.

But no…his first word was "Papa", and the kid looked directly at Kanan when he spoke. Papa. Papa. Kanan didn't really know how to feel about this.

And how did Ezra even know that word? Kanan had never really said it too often. He never said it at all. The only people who called him "Papa" were the guys down at the bar, and they only said it to mess with him. Lately, Kanan had had to take Ezra with him to the bar, (he couldn't leave Ezra alone, and babysitters didn't really exist on Lothal). Kanan was worried Ezra might pick up some bad language. But from every customer, with every order, from every fellow bartender, it's was always:

"Can I have another shot Papa?"

"Table six needs more chips, Papa."

"Hey Papa, can you spare a few credits?"

Papa. Papa. Directed at him. Of course, Kanan never minded. They were just messing around. The word didn't mean anything. The guys were just being idiots. Empty words from drunken tongues.

But now…that word was real.

Kanan just smiled, "C-come on now kid, you can just call me Kanan. It's much cooler than 'Papa'." And a much easier name to bare.

"Pa…pa." Ezra said again.

Kanan shook his head, "Kaaanaaan." He spoke slowly, pronouncing each syllable with force. "Kaaanaaan."

"Pa…pa." Ezra kicked and reached out for Kanan's goatee. "Pa…pa."

"Kanan," Kanan said.

"Pa…pa," Ezra repeated.

Kanan just shrugged, and placed Ezra back into his chair.

Well…as far as Ezra was concerned, Kanan's name was Papa. Papa was who he was now.

"This is gonna take some getting used to."


	11. Chapter 11

Kanan could tell something was wrong. When he placed a bowl of crushed May Fruit in front of Ezra, the kid didn't eat it. When Kanan placed Ezra's wooden spoon in front of him, Ezra didn't pick it up and swing it around.

"Kid?" Kanan asked as he placed a shaky hand on Ezra's forehead. Ezra's forehead was hot. Far hotter than what it should have been.

"Oh no," Kanan whispered. He took a deep breath, and tried not to panic. Ezra was sick. Alright…not a big deal. Just like at the temple, or running an operation Kanan knew that the most important thing was to not panic. Don't panic. Don't panic.

Ezra wheezed a slow, and shallow exhale. "Pa…pa."

And Kanan started to panic.

"Oh no. Oh no. Oh no." Kanan glanced around, his kid had a fever. He didn't have any medicine, and all he had were experience with blaster wounds, not colds. How could kids a young as Ezra even get sick? What kind of twisted galaxy did they live in where kids like Ezra could get sick? What the he-

Ezra wheezed again, and shook. "Pa…pa," he said again.

Without hesitation, Kanan gently picked Ezra up and cradled him. "It's gonna be alright buddy. It's gonna be fine. You're gonna be fine."

Kanan needed to bring that fever down. He didn't have any medicine, but he did have some ice from his freezing unit. Something he slapped together from old parts. He grabbed a small piece of ice from the unit, and rolled it around in his hands, it melted into a small pool of water.

"This should help that fever a little bit." Kanan ran his wet hands against Ezra's bare back, and the little boy shuttered. "Shhh…" Kanan said. "It's alright. You're alright."

He needed medicine. He needed a doctor. Ezra couldn't breathe. Every sound that kid made was wheezy and congested.

Ezra squirmed and moaned, and clutched at Kanan's beard. "Pa…pa."

Kanan didn't even wince at being called Papa, not this time at least. Ezra was what was most important right now.

"Shh…" Kanan said as he gently placed Ezra's head on his shoulder. "I'm here. Papa's here, alright? He's gonna take care of you."

Taking care of adults was easy, they just sucked it up and dealt with whatever ailments they had, and if it were really serious then it'd be taken care of. Babies were different, they couldn't speak yet, and Kanan didn't really know what he could do to ease Ezra's discomfort.

The fever had gone down, slightly. Kanan could try and go out to the market place, maybe search for some medicine. But Ezra was too young for adult medicine, it might make things worse, and Lothal didn't really have children's medicine. You'd have to go off world for that. That wasn't really an option. He couldn't leave Ezra alone, and the kid was in no condition to go anywhere, let alone in space.

Kanan took a deep breath. _Don't panic_. _Don't panic_.

Ezra wheezed, and coughed, and shook.

 _A doctor?_ Kanan thought. There were a few doctors in the city, Kanan had even seen some of them tending to the wounds of the Stormtroopers. He could go see one, but they were rare, almost impossible to even speak to one let alone get one to examine you.

Ezra wheezed, and let his head fall into Kanan's neck. The kid wouldn't stop shivering.

"Kid," Kanan said, "I'm getting you to a doctor."


	12. Chapter 12

Of course, getting a doctor was easier said than done. Especially when all doctors on Lothal were used to heal Stormtroopers. But that wasn't going to stop Kanan. Not when his kid was sick.

Under the cover of night, Kanan held Ezra close to his chest, trying to keep him warm from the cold air. He couldn't leave the kid at home, and there'd be no way for the doctor…or whoever, to examine Ezra if he wasn't with Kanan.

Kanan pulled a hood over his head, and covered his mouth with a handkerchief, black as the Lothal dusk. It was important that no one saw him, especially with Ezra, if someone spotted a man (even a masked one) with a kid, it would be too easy to connect the dots back to Kanan. That would place Ezra in even more danger.

Ezra shivered and Kanan held him close.

"Don't worry," Kanan said, "I'm here."

With a powerful push from his boots, Kanan sprinted out into the city. There weren't a lot of people on the streets that night, but Kanan took efforts to keep them both hidden. He crawled behind alleyways, he snuck behind buildings and looked three times before moving to his next checkpoint.

Ezra was quiet, which made Kanan worry more. Was he getting worse? Kanan couldn't be sure exactly, he needed to hurry. Find a doctor and get Ezra better.

Coming up over the rise was what Lothal called a "Hospital". It was a mundane shack, old and rickety. Kanan walked up, and knocked. There were no lights on, and the place was locked up. Perhaps the doc was asleep. It was rather late. Kanan thought of going back, and trying again tomorrow…and then he felt Ezra shake in his arms.

No deal.

Kanan kicked the door open, and pulled out his blaster (something he remembered to grab this time). He walked in, pointing his plaster out with one hand, and holding Ezra in the other. "Anyone home?"

Kanan could sense that there was someone there, he (or she) simply hadn't made an appearance yet.

And out of the corner of his eye, Kanan spotted a wiry old woman with eyes of grey. Her face stone cold and her mouth trembling. She placed her hands up in terror.

"P-please," she said, "Take whatever you want. I-I don't have much but just take what you want and leave." Her voice almost begged, "Please."

Kanan took a step back, feeling guilty about barging in, but he didn't have time to dwell on it. Ezra needed him. "Are you the doctor?" he asked.

She nodded. "I know what you're thinking," She said, "That I'm rich and an easy target to steal from, but the Empire doesn't pay us for healing their sick. Lately they haven't even been in need of me. I-I-"

Kanan stepped forward and offered the bundled child to her, "This kid, he's sick and he needs your help."

The woman placed her hands down to her sides, and pulled back the blanket that was covering Ezra's face.

"P-please," Kanan said, his voice slow and ached, "Please help him. I-I didn't know what else to…I-I don't have any creds but please…he's my kid."

The woman looked up and placed a soothing hand over Ezra's forehead. "He's got a fever," she said. She took Ezra from Kanan, and slowly ran her hands over the child's body…and she chuckled.

And Kanan couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was she laughing? Ezra, a baby, was sick and she was laughing? For all they knew, Ezra could be dying, and Kanan would-

"Sir," the woman said as she handed Ezra back to Kanan, "Your baby only has the flu. Nothing too serious. If anything, it'll pass in a few days." Her smile beamed even brighter.

"Just the flu?" Kanan asked in shock "So…this was normal?" The wheezing, the coughing, and Ezra was…fine?

"How old is he, exactly?" The doctor asked as she scurried around her shack. "By my guess I'd say about twenty months."

Kanan nodded. Frankly, he didn't have any idea how old Ezra was…but she was the doctor and her guess was far better than his could ever be.

She only laughed as she grabbed some herbs and mixed them in a small bowl. "It's been so long since I've treated anyone, let alone a child this age. I mean, I see this kind of thing with mothers all the time off world. Their child gets the flu and they wreak havoc trying to get their baby healthy again when really all that's needed is a little time and rest. But this is the first time I've seen a father go to such lengths, and breaking in my door to boot!" She nearly fell to the floor in laughter.

And Kanan felt his face grow red in embarrassment.

"I-I mean, you come in here with a blaster…" she tried to stop herself from giggling but couldn't stop, "…and a mask, just for the flu." She finished mixing her herbs, placed them in a bottle and shoved a cork inside. "Here," she said, handing the bottle to Kanan.

Kanan wrapped his fingers around the bottle, and felt the old woman's hands in his.

"Give him one teaspoon a day, and he'll be fine." Her eyes felt so warm on Kanan, as if she were trying to tell him something. She reminded him of his master. "Not many parents around Lothal care that much." She smiled, "You must really love your son."

And there was that word again. Son. Papa. Family.

Kanan just held Ezra close, unsure of what to say.

"Be sure to visit me again," the doctor said as the escorted Kanan to the door, "He'll need regular checkups to make sure he's growing right. And next time, you can keep the blaster at home, okay?" She smiled, and gently closed the door behind her.

Ezra looked up, pulled down Kanan's mask and clung to his beard. Under the cover of the Lothan night, Kanan and Ezra made their way back home.


	13. Chapter 13

Ezra's hair was getting pretty long, and even Kanan (with his shaggy mane) was starting to take notice. Ezra sat upon Kanan's knee, his little hands exploring the different parts of Kanan's face. His beard, his nose, his cheeks. Ezra was turning into quite the curious fellow.

"Kid?" Kanan said, "I you need a haircut." He lifted Ezra up, and tucked him under his arm.

"P…apa," Ezra said as the two went up into the bathroom. Ezra giggled and squirmed and moved around, thinking the two were going to play a game.

When they reached the bathroom, Kanan placed Ezra on the ground and dug through an equipment bag he had brought with him from his basement.

"Let's see…I know I have something I can use," Kanan said as he rummaged. Glancing back at Ezra, Kanan smiled and pulled out a rusty pair of scissors. "Here we go."

Kanan stood up and reached down for Ezra…and the baby panicked. Ezra screamed, lurched back and hunched up against the wall.

"W-what?" Kanan asked, his scissors nearly dropping to the ground. Ezra had never, ever reacted that way about anything. Kanan reached for Ezra again, hoping to cradle him in his arms, but Ezra only shrunk away further. "What has gotten into you kid?" Kanan asked.

Kanan glanced down at his scissors, and then it dawned on him, he gently placed the hardware down and reached for Ezra. The kid scrambled into Kanan's arms and held tightly.

"Did those scissors scare you?" Kanan asked.

Ezra only buried his head in Kanan's shirt, and he had his answer. Kanan rolled his eyes. How exactly was he going to cut the hair of a kid who was afraid of scissors?

"C-come on kid," Kanan said as he picked up the scissors once more. "They're not that bad." He placed Ezra down and, and sat on the ground so that Ezra could see him. "Look." Kanan took a strand of his own hair, fed between the two blades and snipped. "See? Nothing to be worried about."

But Ezra wasn't buying it, he still looked terrified. _Okay, okay. No problem._ Kanan thought, he was a smart guy and getting Ezra's hair cut couldn't be that difficult.

"Wait here," Kanan said as he went to the kitchen and fetched Ezra's wooden spoon. Kanan returned and handed Ezra his favorite "toy" (Kanan winced at his inability to get Ezra even the simplest of toys).

Ezra's face lit up, and his mind was already on the spoon. He waved it through the air, stabbed it against the bathtub and cooed as he fought against imaginary Stormtroopers.

"Yeah, there you go. You just keep protecting the galaxy okay?" Kanan said as he gently picked up the scissors and slowly moved towards Ezra's hair. But, without even looking up, Ezra's spoon waved against Kanan's hardware, and the scissors went flying in the other direction. Far from Ezra's head.

"H-how did he do that?" Kanan asked. It was almost like Ezra had sensed Kanan's intent…but that wasn't possible right?

Kanan just rolled his eyes and surrendered. "Okay, you don't like scissors. I got it."

But that still didn't solve the problem of Ezra's hair, now did it? If he couldn't cut Ezra's hair with scissor, then what exactly could he use that wouldn't give the kid a heart attack?

And then he remembered.

Kanan went back to the basement, and when he returned to the bathroom he held in his hand his light saber hilt. Kanan turned it on, and the room filled with the same blue color that Ezra loved so dearly. Ezra raised his little hands, as if trying to hold onto the saber's light, and save it for another day.

"Okay listen kid," Kanan said as he adjusted the light saber's length to the size of a small dagger, "This is a onetime thing, alright?" Kanan was pretty sure the Jedi Masters had never intended for the light saber to be used to cut a toddler's hair.

But…desperate times.

Kanan sat down and placed Ezra in his lap, the little boy held his spoon close to his chest and stayed absolutely still.

"Pa…pa…" Ezra said, he sounded almost excited.

"Yeah, I know…" Kanan said as he lifted up a strand of hair and sliced his saber through it. Kanan was glad Ezra was still, but he didn't like using his saber to cut his kid's hair. One wrong move, and Ezra's entire head would come off. If anything, Kanan was more nervous now than Ezra had been about the scissors.

"Just a few more my little rebel, and we'll be all done."

The light saber hummed and Ezra's hair fell down to the floor with each passing second. Kanan felt his heart thump against his chest. _Just hold still…just hold still_.

Once, Kanan had piloted a stolen ship against a field of asteroids, but that was nothing compared to this. Nothing at all. Ezra smiled, and clapped and watched as the light saber's glow hummed all around the bathroom, engulfing them both in a warm hue.

"The things I do for you kid."


	14. Chapter 14

It was Ezra's bedtime, and Kanan knew what that meant…another story about Caleb Dume. Most kids always had a favorite character they looked up to, and for Ezra that character was Caleb. He was even getting better at saying Caleb' name…much to Kanan's dismay. While the name "Papa" made Kanan feel uneasy, the name "Caleb" made Kanan feel ashamed. As Caleb he couldn't protect anyone, and as Papa, he could barely provide for Ezra.

"Ca…leb…" Ezra said as Kanan placed him in his crib.

Kanan smiled and nodded his head. "Alright, alright." Kanan sat down on his bed and began the story. "Now, as everyone in the temple knew, Caleb was a very very curious kid. He always asked questions, and he always wanted to know a little more about any given subject. Sometimes, the other kids would laugh at him." Kanan winced at the memory of the other students, and the masters who stared at his constant questions.

Kanan sighed and continued, "Anyway, one afternoon, after Caleb's lessons were over-"

"Cal…eb…" Ezra said, as he raised his hands towards the sky. Ezra had taken to interrupting the story now, smiling and giggling whenever Caleb's name was said.

"Yes yes," Kanan said, trying to quiet him down, "So Caleb's lesson was on a particular device that could transmit messages across the galaxy. Sometimes to other Jedi, other times not. And naturally, Caleb was right there asking questions, raising his hands and wondering how the entire thing worked. Master Obi-Wan was patient and answered as many questions as he could, but when the lesson was over, Caleb was still hungry for knowledge."

Oh yeah, Kanan knew that day well. Master Obi-Wan had even brought the device in as a little show-and –tell for the kids. The thing was massive, it glowed and it beeped, and it had a million buttons on it. Kanan knew he shouldn't have asked so many questions that day, but he couldn't stop himself. He needed to know more.

"When the class was dismissed," Kanan began again, "Caleb stayed behind and tried to get a little more info on that device. All the students and masters were gone, and Caleb thought, well," Kanan took a deep breath and continued, "H-he thought it might be a good idea to examine the device to get a little more information on it."

And that's what happened. He felt the cold steel of the device, tapped on its sides, and ran his hands over the buttons.

"And by accident…Caleb kind of…activated the thing."

Ezra's little smile grew wide. "Cal…eb," Ezra said.

With the device activated, a beacon went all throughout the galaxy, and Jedi everywhere heard it. Caleb didn't really know what he did, but he would soon learn that small little mistake would have larger consequences.

"Hey, Caleb," one of the students asked. "Didn't you hear the news?"

Caleb just shrugged as he made his way down the hall.

"There's been a huge emergency and all of the Jedi masters are in some kind of a meeting."

Caleb stopped, "What do you mean?"

The other student shrugged, "I don't know, but it must be something big. None of them would talk to us about it."

Something big? But…what? There hasn't been any threats since…ever. And what could be so bad to make all of the masters so nervous?

Kanan rubbed his fingers against his temples and sighed…and this was the part of the story that made Caleb famous throughout the whole temple. Apparently, someone had activated the device and sent out a distress signal. It pretty much made all of the Temple jump and scramble, and once they found out the mistake, the main focus was finding out who activated the device…and why.

Oh no.

For the rest of the day, Caleb did his best to stay out of sight. He hid in his room, out in the fields, and anytime he saw the brown cloak of a master…he dove into the nearest hallway and hoped no one saw him, and it worked.

"Caleb Dume, I must have words with you." Until Master Billaba found him.

She led him down the hall, and into her private chambers. She sat him down and stared at him…she was less than enthused.

"Yes Master," Caleb asked, hoping she wasn't asking about what he thought she was asking about.

She glared, and Caleb shrunk away.

"Why?" she asked.

"I-I was curious," Caleb said. There really wasn't anything else to it. He just wanted a closer look, he didn't mean to throw the whole temple into chaos. That seemed to be what Caleb was getting famous for.

"You will address the masters, and the students about your mistake," Master Billaba said.

And he did, it was one of the most mortifying things Kanan had ever had to do. The other students wouldn't stop teasing him, and Master Billaba became his designated babysitter for three weeks. He wasn't allowed to leave his side.

Kanan rolled his eyes and glanced down at Ezra, the kid was already asleep. He probably didn't even hear the end of the story. Which…might have been for the best. Kanan leaned down and kissed Ezra on the cheek.

"Good night kid."


	15. Chapter 15

Kanan was excited. It wasn't every day he got a vacation, especially now. But business had been slow thanks to the slow rise of Stormtroopers all throughout Lothal. Apparently people didn't feel too safe getting drunk around white suited troopers. No matter, it gave Kanan some time to spend with Ezra, and he even had enough credits save up for a little vacation.

Kanan had saved up enough credits to rent a small (well…cramped was more like it) little ship so that he and Ezra could go off world for a bit. Nothing too fancy, just a day or two on a neighboring planet. With Ezra beginning to speak more and more Kanan thought it might be a good idea to broaden his world a little more.

"So…you're going on a father-son vacation?" One of the customers had asked Kanan when he told them. The entire bar chuckled at those words.

"Look," Kanan said defensively, "I just want to get him off world for a few days, nothing more."

"You wanna spend time with your boy. You know, before he grows too big for you to hold him," the customer cradled his arms as if he were holding a child. And the entire place erupted in laughter. Kanan just rolled his eyes, picked up his stuff and made his way home.

"We're going on a little vacation. How does that sound kid?" Kanan asked as he ruffled Ezra's hair.

"Je…di!" Ezra said as he reached for Kanan's beard.

Kanan nearly felt his heart sink at that word. Maybe he shouldn't have told Ezra all of those stories about Caleb Dume, it had gotten to the point where all of Ezra's words had something to do with the Jedi Order. Whether it was 'Jedi' or 'Force' or simple 'Caleb', it was clear Kanan's stories of his past were having a direct influence on his present…Ezra.

Kanan knelt down and placed a finger over his lips, "Remember kid, those stories are our little secrets, okay?" With more and more stormtroopers showing up, Kanan didn't want to risk someone catching wind of what he was. If he were taken away, who would take care of Ezra? What would happen to him? Kanan shook his head free of those thoughts. Now was not the time.

Kanan picked up Ezra and tucked him under his arm.

"Okay…let's get packing."

Kanan had brought everything he needed. Extra clothes for Ezra, pleny of May Fruit, Ezra's wooden spoon, his blaster, something to build a fire with, and extra rations. They were all set. Kanan packed the little ship, and strapped Ezra into the passenger side. He took extra precautions to make sure Ezra was secure, the last thing he needed was for the kid to fall out during the jump to hyperspace.

"All ready?" Kanan asked with a smile.

Ezra raised his arms and cooed. Kanan took that as a yes. Kanan activated the ship's dashboard, and the two slowly lifted into the sky, out of the deserts of Lothal and into the dark recesses of Hyperspace. They both could use a little vacation.


	16. Chapter 16

Kanan had to admit, the neighboring planet of LeQuake was beautiful. Forests scattered the landscape, and the leaves were just starting to come in after the planet's weather cycle. The place was littered with flower buds, and Kanan could even hear the animals beginning to come out of hiding.

This was the perfect place for him and Ezra, away from the dry sands of Lothal, and the ever approaching presence of the Empire. Right now, all that was there was Kanan and-

"Ezra?" Kanan turned back to the ship, hoping to see his kid sitting in the disposable armchair Kanan had brought with them. No such luck, Ezra was already hobbling towards the forests to the east. "Ezra!" Kanan shouted.

He jogged up to his charge and scooped Ezra onto his shoulders.

"Listen kid," Kanan said while looking up, "You can't just wander off on your own little adventures, alright? We don't know anything about this place. For all we know, this world could be hostile."

Ezra just smiled and cried, "Caleb!"

Kanan shuttered at that name. He had heard that children often liked to imitate the stories they heard. Perhaps Ezra had thought himself Caleb Dume, and wanted to go out looking for magic buttons to push, and crystals to grab hold of. Kanan had to stop telling those stories, less they get the both of them in trouble.

"No Ezra," Kanan carried Ezra back to the chair and sat him down. "I've gotta make a fire right now, and then we can get lunch started."

And if Ezra was good…maybe they could do a little exploring later. Maybe.

Kanan reached down into his duffel bag, and handed Ezra his wooden spoon. "Stay put." Kanan said.

He reached back into his bag, and pulled out a lighter and a fuel can, something he brought with him from Lothal. Back in the old days, they used to start a fire with sticks and leaves. That wasn't something Kanan could do…even with the patience of a Jedi.

The fire started, and out of the corner of his eye, Kanan could see Ezra's face light up. Ezra had probably never seen a fire before, and Kanan could sense Ezra moving closer.

Kanan shot up and placed his hands out, "Stop!" Kanan said. He knelt down to Ezra's level and looked him in the eye. "That," Kanan said pointing, "Is fire, and it is very dangerous." He looked Ezra right in the eye and squeezed his shoulder. "Do not touch."

Ezra cocked his head, the same way he did when he didn't really understand something. "…touch?" he asked.

Kanan shook his head and frowned. "No. No touch. Never ever touch. Listen to Papa," Kanan said as he pointed to himself, "No touch."

And out of the corner of the bushes, Kanan heard giggling. He glanced out to the forest, but nothing was there. Could it have been Ezra? No...that wasn't Ezra's voice. It was a woman's. Soft and sweet like Lothal's evenings. Was someone there?

Ezra smiled, "Pa…pa. No touch?"

Kanan nodded again, "Yes, No touch fire. Okay?"

Ezra nodded and sat back down. "No touch."

Kanan breathed a little easier, it was bad enough Ezra wanted to walk around the forest with force knew what crawling around, but the idea of Ezra burning himself would be even more stressful than dealing with Storm Troopers.

"Okay," Kanan said, "Now I think I can get started on the camp site." Even through the force, Kanan could sense that…someone was there. But he didn't really have time to investigate, not with Ezra's curiosity, and his growling stomach. Whoever it was had to wait, getting shelter started was the most important thing.

But, Kanan would be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to finding out who that voice belonged to. He wanted to hear it again.


	17. Chapter 17

Kanan had tried to get that voice out of his head, he had to do something to get his mind off of it. There was a small river bank by the end of the forest, (and seeing as there wasn't much else to do) Kanan had decided that fishing might be a good way to pass the time. It was either that, or tell that another Caleb Dume story to Ezra…and possibly have the kid try to imitate it. That wasn't an experience Kanan wanted to relive, so fishing it was.

He gathered fishing poles, buckets, some bait, and Ezra and he headed down to that old river bank.

"Okay listen kid," Kanan said, "Today, I'm gonna show you how to fish." Kanan said those words with authority, as if he were the number one fisherman in all the galaxy. But the truth was, he had never touched a fishing pole in his life, in fact the only reason he even brought fishing equipment was because one of his co-workers at the bar insisted.

But, whatever, it couldn't be that hard. If Kanan could fly a freighter in an asteroid field, and fight off Stormtroopers with a blaster, then fishing shouldn't be too hard.

Ezra skipped along at Kanan's heels. Kanan couldn't tell if Ezra was happy about being on this new planet, or if he was just excited that he didn't have to be on Kanan's shoulders here. It was safe, not a Storm Trooper in sight, and as long as Ezra stayed close, he could express his independence.

"Pa…pa?" Ezra asked, his eyes bright in the sunlight. Kanan knew that tone in Ezra's voice, it meant he was questioning. He was curious about what was going on, and wanted an answer.

"We're going fishing kid." Kanan said.

Ezra cocked his head and glanced up at the poles Kanan was carrying. "Fi…sh…" Ezra began.

Kanan chuckled. "Fiiiisssshhhhing," Kanan repeated, slowly and methodically. To be honest, this was the first time Kanan would be teaching Ezra anything about hunting (if anyone could call it that). So far, all Kanan had showed the kid to do was…well…nothing really. Ezra was pretty independent. He picked things up quickly, he learned at a great speed, and most of the time when it came to something new, he attacked it head on. It made Kanan pretty proud, but that didn't mean he wanted to be cut out of Ezra's learning process. Every Padawan needed a Master, at least that's what Master Billaba had said. The only thing Kanan was the master of was getting over a hangover (but teaching Ezra that would have to wait until he was older). But today, for one brief moment, Kanan would be a teacher (a master in his own right) and Ezra would be his Padawan (his fishing padawan).

"Okay," Kanan said as he came to the bank of the river, "Let's get started." He grabbed the poles, and began threading the fishing lines through them. Ezra stuck his hands in the bucket of bait, and grinned. "Fi…sh…"

Kanan shook his head. "No no my little Padawan," Kanan said as he patted Ezra on his head, "We need those for the fish." He grabbed a cloth from his shirt pocket, and used it to wipe Ezra's hands clean. "Now sit and allow the Master to show you." Kanan baited his rod, and cast the line out to the river. The word "Padawan" flowed from Kanan's mouth like a river. As a Caleb Dume, he had always dreamed of becoming a master Jedi…but that dream died the moment Order 66 was announced.

He would never be a Jedi master, he would never get his chance to walk into another Jedi temple again, but that didn't matter. Not today at least. Today, he could be a Master who had a Padawan. He could pass on what he knew…and for Kanan, those words felt truer than any other.

Kanan handed Ezra the other fishing pole, and watched as Ezra clumsily cast the line out to the water. The kid smile at the line flew and landed on the lake.

"Excellent kid. Very nice form." Kanan draped his arm over Ezra's little shoulders. "Don't forget to keep your eye on the line, alright? Fish could bite at any moment."


	18. Chapter 18

Kanan shoved his knife through the fish's skin, and gently cleaned it out. He and Ezra had surprisingly returned with a lot of fish for the evening. Not bad for a first try, Kanan thought.

The fire roared at the camp site, and Ezra sat at the far end, next to the ship. Kanan could tell Ezra wanted to help, but something about that kid being near knives made Kanan's skin crawl. There was no way Ezra would go anywhere near these fish until they were cooked. Kanan promised himself that.

There, in the rustling forest, beyond the bushes Kanan could sense another presence. Someone was…not necessarily watching, but still nearby. He grabbed his gun from his holster, checked to make sure Ezra was still by the ship, and slowly made his way towards the bushes.

There couldn't have been any Storm Troopers here, but Kanan didn't want to take any chances. He peered from behind the foliage, and crept along the side of the neighboring trees.

And there in the distance he saw…a Twi'lek, with green skin that hugged her bones, and a pilot's outfit covered in soot. She was peering through the bushes, searching in the grass.

Kanan placed his blaster away and approached. "Did you lose something?" he asked.

The Twi'lek, turned (and if she was surprised, she certainly didn't show it), and grinned. "Oh," she said, "I'm so sorry." She slowly stood and dusted the grass off of her pants. "I must look so strange crawling around here."

It was the exact same voice he heard a while ago. Soft like a Lothan dusk.

"N-no," Kanan said as he moved closer. "I-I was just concerned, is all. Y-you looked like you were having some kind of trouble." Master Billaba had told him that a Jedi's job was to help everyone. And that's what he was doing, just making sure this woman was alright.

"Oh, yeah. I just lost one of the pieces for my ship's engine."

Kanan took a step forward concerned, "Is it important? I-I could help you look." He didn't really know why he was so nervous now.

"Oh no, it's not super important. I can manage without it, but…" she waved her hand dismissively. "It's nothing." She turned to leave, and Kanan stepped forward once more. For some reason, he didn't want her to go just yet.

"W-wait, me and my….uh…kid, were about to have dinner. You look like you could use a nice meal. Why don't you join us?"

The Twi'lek smiled. "Oh no, I couldn't possibly intrude."

"Oh, it's no intrusion. Please." Normally, Kanan never let Ezra around strangers. If anyone so much had looked at Ezra wrong Kanan was on it. But, this Twi'lek..she was different. Maybe it was his own instincts. Maybe it was the force telling him something. But he knew Ezra would be safe around her. Who knew, it might even be good for the kid. Force knew Ezra didn't really spend time with anyone besides Kanan and interaction with others would be good.

"Come on," Kanan said, "I'm Kanan by the way."

The Twi'lek smiled, "I'm Hera."

And the two made their way back to the campsite.

Kanan never knew Ezra could be so jolly around other people. Hera was a complete stranger, but that kid felt perfectly comfortable in her lap. He even let her hold is wooden spoon. That was saying something.

"Dinner's almost ready."

Ezra bounced on Hera's knee, and smiled.

"He is very adorable, Kanan." Hera said as she stared at the little boy. "And you're both from Lothal?"

Kanan nodded, "Yeah. We're kind of on a little vacation here."

"Well," Hera began, "There aren't many parents on Lothal who care so much for their kids. Most mothers and fathers on that planet set their children adrift and just hope for the best."

Kanan thought back to when he first found Ezra, hunkered and alone in the outside of the bar. Why did that image haunt him so much?

"Ezra is lucky to have such a wonderful 'Papa'," Hera said.

Kanan felt his face turn red at the sound of that word. Papa. Papa. But hearing it come from Hera made it seem almost bearable.

And Ezra cooed at the sound of that word. "Pa…pa…" and reached out for Kanan.

Hera picked Ezra up and placed him by Kanan's side, "It doesn't take a Jedi Master to see he adores you."

Kanan's face grew even redder as Ezra reached for his beard, and gently pulled.

The three had their meal under one of the planets three moons.

"How long are you two planning on staying here?" Hera asked as she took another bite of fish.

"Not long," Kanan said, "Like I said, it's just a small vacation, and then it's back to Lothal."

"Aren't you a little worried though?" Hera asked, her face deepening into a strange concern. "The Empire has been sending a lot of Troopers to that place. Lots of people have started to leave for greener pastures."

Kanan nodded. Lothal was turning into an Imperial playground, not the place to raise Ezra…lately it wasn't even the place to get drunk anymore. Kanan had been thinking about it a lot, but it wasn't something he vocalized. To Ezra, Lothal was the whole galaxy. How could Kanan rip Ezra from his home? He prayed he would never have to.

Hera finished her meal, and stood. "Well, thank you for the meal, but I believe it's time for me to go."

"Y-you don't have to. You could spend the night if you'd like."

Hera shook her head, "No thank you. I must be getting back to my ship. I've…" she glanced away, "I've a lot to do."

"Will we meet again," Kanan asked as Ezra climbed onto his shoulders.

Hera shrugged and smiled, "Anything's possible."

And with that, Hera had left just as quickly as she had come. Her voice still ringing in Kanan's ears. Soft and sweet, like Lothal at dusk.


	19. Chapter 19

Kanan didn't count on it raining. One minute he was outside, trying to clean up after dinner, and the next he was scooping Ezra into his arms and huddling onboard the ship. Even now, Kanan could hear the rain pounding against the ship's hull.

Kanan glanced down to Ezra, his spoon clutched in his hand and his whole body soaked. The kid was shivering. They never got rain like this on Lothal.

"Come here, let's get you outta those wet clothes," Kanan said. He pulled Ezra's shirt over his arms, and the kid began to squirm. "I know I know, but you can't run around in those clothes. You'll get sick." And that wasn't something Kanan wanted to experience again.

Kanan grabbed a towel, wrapped Ezra in it, and gently dried his hair. The ship was a little smaller than he remembered, but it was probably because Kanan had packed so much excess supplies. There were extra rations. Extra cloths just in case Ezra ripped one of his shirts and it needed to be repaired. Extra paper towels just in case there was a mess. Extra ammunition just in case Kanan ran into something that threatened Ezra. And all of that excess left the space inside the ship very cramp. Kanan could practically feel Ezra breathing on him.

Once Ezra was dry, Kanan moved down in the back of the hull, and fished out another shirt for him to wear. "Alright kiddo, come her-"

But Ezra was already staring out the window, looking at the water falling from the sky. He turned to Kanan and pointed. "Ra…in?"

Kanan smiled, "Yeah kid, that's rain. You've probably never really seen it, huh?"

On all the years Kanan had been on Lothal, he had only seen rain once. Ezra had only heard about it in passing, or from one of Kanan's stories.

"Come on Ezra, put your shirt on," Kanan said. He unbundled Ezra's new shirt and gently placed it over Ezra's head. "There, all bett-" A sneeze. Kanan sneezed. He rubbed his nose, and ran his fingers through his hair. "Excuse me."

Ezra turned and looked down at his dripping papa, and gently pulled at Kanan's soaked shirt.

"What?" Kanan asked.

"Rain…papa wet," Ezra said.

Kanan simply shook his head and smiled. "I'll get myself taken care of once I know you're alright."

Ezra merely cocked his head, and pouted. He hopped off of the passenger's seat and grabbed the towel Kanan had used earlier. He stretched it out, and reached for Kanan's head, standing on the tips of his toes.

"Woah, woah kid. I'm supposed to be taking care of you. Not the other way around."

But Ezra kept reaching, higher and higher. Kanan sighed and bent down onto his knees, allowing little Ezra to wrap the damp towel around his head.

"There, are you happy now?"

But Ezra wasn't, because he kept pulling at Kanan's soaked shirt.

"Pa…pa, cold." Ezra kept pulling, and Kanan simply smiled. He lost his shirt, and without thinking, pulled Ezra in for a hug. Ezra snuggled into Kanan's chest, and Kanan began to laugh.

It was raining outside, but neither of them had ever felt warmer.


	20. Chapter 20

Today was the last day of their vacation, and Kanan had made up his mind. He was going to teach Ezra how to swim. Now, some people might say it was a little too early. Ezra was still pretty young, but as his Master always told him: "It is better to start early."

And who knows how long it would be before Kanan got the opportunity again? Lothal wasn't exactly known for its beaches.

"Ezra?" Kanan slowly shook his little charge on the shoulder. Last night's rain had forced them to sleep in the ship. But now the skies were blue and filled with possibilities. "We're gonna do something special today."

Ezra stretched his little arms and yawned. He cocked his head (the way he always did when something new was on the table).

"We're gonna go swimming today," Kanan said.

"Sssswwiiishhh?" Ezra asked.

Kanan grabbed a small pair of Ezra's shorts, something that was sturdy but also could give way to movement. "Swwwiiiimmmiiiiinnng." Kanan said. He slipped the shorts onto Ezra's legs, and took him by the hand. "You'll love it. Trust me."

Kanan took Ezra to the place where they had caught their fish a few nights prior.

"Okay," Kanan said as he looked out to the lake. "Here's what we're going to do-"

"Fish!" Ezra said as pointed to the lake. He hopped up and down and leaned onto Kanan's leg. "Fish!"

Kanan smiled and ruffled Ezra's hair, "We'll go fishing again some other time kiddo, but this is something you'll love even more." Kanan took Ezra's little hand in his, and the two slowly stepped into the shore. The lake was cold that morning, and it was only made worse by the other night's rain. The air was still damp, and the sun (while out) had not warmed the earth nearly enough. But it was quiet and peaceful and the perfect time to show Ezra something new before the afternoon could shorten his attention span with the promise of flies to chase.

"It's just like taking a bath. Remember back home?"

Ezra slowly stepped forward until the water was up to his waist and his hands slapped against the surface. He giggled and splashed, and some moss even got in Kanan's eye.

"Alright, alright," Kanan said. He swung his arms above his head, and then brought them back down to below his torso. "Now, in order to swim, you've got to keep your head above water, and keep your arms and legs pumping, alright?"

But Ezra wasn't even paying attention. He was too busy dunking his head, and bringing it back up.

 _Well_ , Kanan thought, _he seems to have the holding-his-breath thing down._

"That's pretty good," Kanan said, "Stay in this end though. I don't want you wandering too far in the lake."

Of course, Ezra wasn't even listening…but that didn't matter. Kanan leaned against the water, and floated on his back. His eyes facing the sky. The world was so peaceful, it was nice to get away for a change, but tomorrow it would be back to the bar, the Troopers, and the screaming customers. Kanan didn't want to think about it, but that bar…and Lothal itself, was becoming too hostile for Ezra. Even now, money was getting tight (and it was already a hassel to begin with). Kanan had tried to look for other jobs, but there wasn't much of anything he could do, and "Jedi" wasn't really something he could put on a resume.

He dreaded going back to Lothal, because that meant a return to those problems he couldn't solve.

Master Billaba had always told him that answers would come if you practiced patience. That would be fine if Kanan were alone, but he had Ezra to think about and patience wouldn't get more food on the table, or make the neighborhood safer for Ezra to wander around in.

Ezra waddled over to Kanan's side, and gently crawled on top of him. Ezra's little legs straddled over Kanan's stomach, he was like a life raft. He laid his head down on Kanan's chest.

"Fiiisshhh…" Ezra said.

It mad Kanan smile. Ezra was funny that way, whenever Kanan's mind race, Ezra could always calm it down. Whenever the galaxy's problems became too much to handle, Ezra would waddle over and grin. That kid could probably make the Emperor himself crack a smile.

"I'm gonna miss this place," Kanan said into the air. "Next time we come visit we'll stay longer, how does that sound?"

Ezra reached out and pulled on Kanan's beard…

"Yeah," Kanan said, "I like that idea too."


End file.
